All For You (4 page)

“Teach,” he said without hesitation.

Anna blinked, not expecting that answer. “Really? You never told me that before.”

“I hadn’t realized it until recently, but I find it satisfying.”

This
she could work with. She nodded, thinking fast. “Have you tried to get a position at a culinary academy?”

“Teaching jobs don’t come around every day. In any case, I’m not sure teaching at an academy would be what I think it is.” His expression softened. “I remember learning in my mother’s kitchen and think I’d like to replicate something like that.”

“Teaching in a working kitchen, with a practical knowledge of cooking and the business.” Anna stared off into space, getting excited thinking about it. “That’d be so great.”

“But it’s not happening.” He sipped from his glass. “I’ve accepted this offer in New York.”

Yes, but he hadn’t left yet. This gave her something to work with. The challenge was on.

“What’s that look for?” Max asked suspiciously.

“Just thinking.”

He smiled. “Should I be scared?”

Wary
was a more apt word. “I’m just disappointed you’re leaving,” she replied so she wouldn’t tip her hand.

“You’re not happy for me?”

“I am, but I’m sad for me.”

“Why?”

She looked at him over the rim of her glass. “Do you seriously not know why?”

He studied her, his gaze raking over her features like he was trying to decipher them. Or maybe he was trying to memorize them.

She pouted.

Max chuckled. “You look like an adult, in your dress and fancy shoes, but when your lip does that you look…”

“Like a child?” she finished for him, making a face.

“Adorable,” he corrected, sipping his wine. “I have a finalized menu for your party in my office. Shall I show it to you?”

“Sure.” Especially if it meant they’d be alone.

He slid off his stool. “Bring your wine.”

She got off the stool to see the menu for a party she never wanted to have, to get the guy who was moving to New York in two weeks.

Her brilliance amazed her. Scott would tell her to stay away from investments.

She followed him to the back, past the kitchen to a little office that was surprisingly tidy. Shoved into a corner was a metal desk, the top clear except for a laptop and a wire bin that held a stack of papers. On the wall, there was a bulletin board with lots of notes and business cards posted. The filing cabinet in the other corner had stacks on top, as did a folding chair next to the desk.

Max cleared off the chair for her and sat at his desk. “Sit. I have the menu on my computer.”

She looked at the chair, and then she looked at Max. Setting the glass down, she hiked her skirt up, insinuated herself between Max and his laptop, and faced him on his lap. “I’d rather sit here.”

Max leaned back, watching her in his silent Latin way, which she’d always found so hot. It still was.

His hands slowly crept onto her thighs, holding her right at her hem. “What are you doing, Anna?”

“What does it look like?” she asked, unbuttoning her jacket and shrugging out of it. “Don’t you miss us?”

“There never was ‘us,’“he said, gripping her thighs. “There was you and your schoolwork, and me and my kitchen.”

“Maybe we should have made time.” She unbuttoned her blouse.

He helped her take it off. “We were both young.”

“
I
was young.”

“You’re still young.” He looked over her lingerie, appreciation heating his gaze.

It was a frilly set her sister had given her, that she’d never worn before. She’d put it on for herself that morning, to feel special on the inside. Now she was especially glad she’d chosen to wear it. “You aren’t looking at me like I’m still young.”

“That doesn’t change the facts.”

“But I know what I want now.” She got up and shimmied out of her panties, dropping them on the floor. “I always wanted this, from the moment I saw you years ago.”

“
This
has never been our problem.” Max stood up between her legs, crowding her so she leaned back against the desk.

She reached between them and undid his pants, pulling him out. She ran her hand up and down him, relearning the feel of his skin, the curve of his hardness. “I remember us being good at this.”

“We were always really good at this.” He bent his head and kissed her, deep and dark, intoxicating. His hand speared into her hair, holding her open to him.

She wrapped her legs around his waist, hooking her ankles on his back. She teased him harder with her fingers, her breath catching as she remembered what it felt like to feel him sink into her.

He lifted his mouth from hers only enough to whisper, “I have no condoms here.”

It was on the tip of her tongue to remind him that they hadn’t used condoms before—she was on the pill. But they’d been apart for so long, she supposed it wasn’t that simple. So she ran her fingers up the length of him and said, “I’m sure we’ll figure it out.”

He kissed her again, trailing his hands down her sides and cupping her hips. He hauled her forward, so her butt was at the edge of the desk, and then bent between her thighs.

The first touch of his tongue was light as a feather. The second savored her, a luxurious lick that started on a gasp and ended on a deep moan. She arched back, clutching his head. “If you stop, I may kill you.”

He hummed against her, which only made her squirm for more.

He gave her more. He lapped and licked, nibbled and noshed. Then he slid a finger deep into her as he gently drew her most sensitive spot into his mouth.

The sensations sharpened into one shuddering peak, and she cried out, not realizing she was yanking on his hair until the waves of pleasure had ebbed.

“That was—” She shook her head as she slumped forward against him.

“If you can’t think of the words, it must have been good,” he teased.

With her foot, she pushed him back into his chair. Willing herself back from boneless, she got up and knelt between his outstretched legs.

“Anna—”

Before he could finish whatever he was going to say, she licked him like he was an ice cream cone. Over and over, she ran her tongue along his length, until he begged for her. She gave him what he wanted—what she wanted, too—until he called out her name in ecstasy.

It was the sweetest thing she’d heard in a long time.

He caressed her hair lovingly—Anna closed her eyes and felt a warmth of caring she hadn’t felt in so long.

Too soon, his hand fell away and he stood up. He helped her up, gazing down into her eyes.

Kiss me, she willed him.
Love me again
.

Max reached for her—

—and past her, for her shirt. He held it out to her.

Swallowing a host of emotions she wasn’t going to analyze right then, she turned her back and redressed. An awkward silence settled in the room, broken by the occasional sounds of their dressing. When she was all together, she faced him. “Just email me the menu. I’ll go over it tomorrow.”

“Okay.” He looked inscrutable, leaning against the desk.

Kiss me, she urged him again. When he didn’t say anything, she swallowed and said, “About New York—”

“This doesn’t change anything, Anna.” He crossed his arms.

“So what was this? A goodbye romp?”

He looked at her—maybe sadly, but she was sure it was a trick of the light. “What did you think it’d be?” he asked.

She lifted her chin. “More than you, apparently.”

Half smiling, he touched her face. “Our timing was off before, and it’s off now. Maybe we aren’t meant to be.”

“Is that what you believe, after
that
?” She waved at the desk.

“The facts don’t change.” He gave a pragmatic shrug. “I leave for New York after your party. Your job and family are here. The facts are irrefutable. You know this.”

Yeah, but she didn’t have to have it slapped in her face. She grabbed her jacket and gave him a jaunty smile she wasn’t feeling. “All I know is that I’m not willing to give up, so you better brace yourself.”

She started to leave, but thought better of it. Turning on her heels, she gave him a kiss that was sure to wake up the boys down below. Satisfied by the dazed and confused look on his face, she wiggled her fingers at him as she walked out. “Talk to you later.”

She sashayed out, waiting until she was in the main dining room to drop the act and rush out. She was all the way home before she realized she’d forgotten her underwear on the floor of his office, like a declaration of war.

She was ready to give up.

The Incident in Max’s office (with a capital “I” because it felt
very
significant despite how pragmatic he’d been at the end) made it difficult to think about anything, much less the conference call she was on. She should have been listening to the pitch to make notes for red flags to address during their due diligence round, but instead she kept rerunning the end of their encounter.

She’d pretty much threatened him.

Stifling a groan, she dropped her head in her hand. It’d been the combination of wine and sex—it’d emboldened her in a crazy way. Only if she was honest with herself, it was more than alcohol and passion that drove her to declare she wasn’t going to give him up. She’d sought Max out hoping to spice up her life, but he was more than seasoning. Max was the entire meal: appetizer, entrée, and dessert.

She wanted him, and the sober truth was that she couldn’t come up with one reason for him to stay.

Except for her.

Was that a good enough reason though?

“Anna?”

Scott’s voice over the speaker startled her alert. Sitting up straight in her office chair, even though no one was there to see her, she shook free of her disheartening thoughts and said, “Yes, I’m here.”

“I just asked if there was anything else you needed from Ron and his team,” he asked patiently, humor in his voice. He was known for his even temper and happy demeanor, which was completely at odds with his rich-boy background and master-of-the-universe career.

“No, I think I’m good.” She looked down at the legal pad in front of her. Instead of notes, she’d drawn her and Max’s name entwined in an intricate vine of flowers and hearts. “I have Ron’s information if I need anything else immediately.”

“Sounds great,” Scott said enthusiastically. “Thanks for the presentation, gentlemen. I’ll have my assistant contact you with what we’ll require to move forward.”

Anna muttered her thanks, too, and then ended the call.

Two seconds later, her phone buzzed again, this time from Scott’s office. She picked it up. “I’m on it, Scott, really—”

“I know you are,” he interrupted calmly. “I’m not worried about your performance. I just want to make sure you’re okay. You’ve been unusually distracted lately.”

She sighed. “I’m planning a party.”

“Really? What for?”

“I have no idea, actually. Want to come? It’s in a week and a half, on Wednesday.”

“I’m out of town that week.”

“Man.” The party was going to cost her a fortune, and so far she had no guests, meaning she was spending a ton of money on food that was just going to go bad in her refrigerator. “I’m taking that gamble you talked about, but so far the odds aren’t stacked in my favor.”

“Then reshuffle the deck, Anna,” Scott said.

She blinked. “You mean, so I win a hand or two?”

“Sure.”

“If you could tell me how to do that, I’d dub you a genius.”

“You’re a smart woman. You’ll figure out what you need to do.” He chuckled. “Let me know how it goes. I bet your opponent doesn’t stand a chance, especially given how you’ve looked lately.”

“How do I look?” Today she’d discarded her suit coat and just worn the slim skirt with a pink shimmery shirt. She’d replaced the black pumps she’d given away with a pair of gold strappy heels. Gold was the new black in her life.

“I’d say you look hot if it wouldn’t put me in risk of sexual harassment. So let’s just say you look nice. Colorful.”

Colorful was the best compliment she could have asked for. Anna got off the phone feeling better, like she had a second wind of enthusiasm for the party. She pulled up the guest list she’d compiled the night before. She hadn’t asked Freya and Greg yet, but their attendance was a given. The friends she’d messaged on Facebook had all replied that they couldn’t make it, leaving a dozen more people to contact. Including Megan.

Anna got up and walked down the hall, peeking her head in her friend’s office. “If I had a party, would you come?”

“Sure,” Megan said enthusiastically, looking up from her laptop. “When is it?”

“In a week and a half, on a Wednesday night.”

“Wednesday night?” Her friend wrinkled her nose. “That’s a strange night to have a party.”

She shrugged. “Which is why it’s easier to arrange for catering on Wednesday nights.”

“You’re having it catered? It must be a special occasion. What are we celebrating?”

“What would you like to celebrate?” Anna asked slyly.

“Oh boy.” Megan pushed away from her desk and considered her with bright curiosity. “You’re scheming, aren’t you?”

“I don’t scheme.”

“Bullshit, you don’t. It’s one of your most attractive traits.” The woman crossed her arms. “Sit your bony ass down and tell me what you’re plotting. Does it have to do with Mr. Spicy? What am I saying? Of course it does.”

“Of course it does.” Anna closed the door and plopped on the leather couch facing Megan’s desk. “But I think I must be crazy.”

“Explain.”

“I’m spending a small fortune I don’t have on a party that has no reason and no guests, just to try to hook up with a guy.”

Megan shrugged. “At least you aren’t spending a major fortune to go to an Ivy League college just to find a guy to marry.”

“People still do that?”

“Are you kidding? Why do you think my daddy sent me to Harvard?” Megan’s smile was tinged with bitterness. “I rule the world but I’m still a disappointment because I haven’t married.”

Anna sat up, feeling personally affronted. “That’s ridiculous.”

“Family usually is.” She arched her brow. “But we’re talking about you and your spicy man.”